9 Unique Races to Try in July

By Sabrina Grotewold | Active.com

July is the height of the summer racing season, and if you're not already in great shape, this list of nine races can provide plenty of training motivation. There's challenging trail races, night runs and muddy obstacle races to sign up for, so if you're healthy, there's no reason to sit on the sidelines this summer.

Note: some races on this list could be sold out or have registration periods that have ended, but we included them here because, if you're a planner, there's always next year. This list also doesn't include Fourth of July events, but to view a list of suggested holiday runs, check out our family-friendly guide to Fourth of July runs.

Popular Activities Near You

Ashburn, VA

Find out if you have the guts to run for 12 hours straight, or take a more relaxed approach and take turns with a relay team during the 12- or 6-hour endurance runs at the Dirty Dozen & Half Dozen Endurance Races in Pinole, California, on July 6. If running all day isn't your thing, sign up for one or more of the 5K or 10K races (there's two races of each distance; runners can participate in all four if they choose). Your race entry includes access to an all-day barbecue, where you can refuel and meet other runners.

One runner pairs with one driver/support person to complete three races totaling 26.2 miles in three locations with one overnight stay. Runners begin at Ridley Creek State Park for an 8.4-mile run, then travel to Valley Forge State Park (travel time between runs isn't counted toward total run time) for 4.8 miles, then Wissahickon for the final 13 miles. This self-supported event is a good toe-in-the-water test to see if you'd enjoy putting in more miles at an ultramarathon someday.

Support local agriculture at this 5K mud run and kids mud run. Help raise funds for the Okaloosa County Farm Bureau. All obstacles are farm-related, and proceeds will go to support agricultural programs for kids.

Like a rave for runners, this neon-loving series makes its way to the Pacific Northwest this month. Participants are encouraged to wear brightly colored clothing and as many neon glow sticks as possible. The 5K course features lights, dancing and music.

This family-friendly event includes a 5K and 10K run and walk as well as a kids' touchdown dash, where each child participant is given a souvenir football to carry from goal post to goat post at Atwood Stadium.

ACTIVE.com is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.

Frequently Asked Questions

ACTIVE Advantage is the premium membership program of ACTIVE, designed to support and encourage your active lifestyle by providing exclusive discounts on thousands of activities on ACTIVE. No matter what your passions are, it is our mission to make it cheaper and easier for you to pursue the activities you love.

The 30-day trial of the ACTIVE Advantage membership allows you to check out the program for yourself before starting a full annual membership. During this trial period you have full access to member benefits, including all ACTIVE registration discounts, access to free event entries, gear discounts and more. If you decide during the trial period that you don't want to continue the membership, just let us know. Otherwise, at the end of your 30 day trial we will extend your member benefits for a full year at the current annual membership fee.

If you sign up for the 30-day ACTIVE Advantage trial membership you'll receive full access to all member benefits during your trial period. When the 30 days of the trial are up, your benefits will automatically upgrade to the annual membership which currently costs $64.95 per year. That's less than $6 per month to enjoy the program all year round.

Members can receive discounts when registering for events on ACTIVE.com.

Simply follow the steps below to redeem your discount

Step 1: Find an event on ACTIVE and login. Use the ACTIVE directory to find an event. Click the login button in the upper right corner of the event details page. You will be re-directed to a login screen. After logging in, you will be sent back to the event details page.

Step 2: Click the "Register Now" button to sign up for the event. Complete all required registration fields and proceed to payment screen. When logged in as an Advantage member, your discount will automatically apply at the end of registration.

Step 3: Submit registration and receive discount. The discount amount will display in your shopping cart and will be deducted from your registration fees. The registration discount will vary and is excluded from some events. If the discount does not appear in your shopping cart, the event is not eligible.